Hey everyone! Happy Saturday!
What a whirlwind…. and now, I’m a certified raw foods Level 1 chef!
(About half our class and our two instructors, Ladan and Whitney)
Yesterday was seriously crazy trying to get everything put together and prepped for our three course meal. Mayjah thanks to the twins who got me a Thai green smoothie for lunch
I got all of the prep work done, took a break and walked around the mall for an hour, went back to school and started plating. We did two plates of each course—1 set was to leave in the academy for the tasters/judges and one set to have out on the patio to share.
My yellow almond-flax crackers, smoked paprika zucchini hummus and coriander lemon marinated olives
Apricot mint and cauliflower rice dolmas
Local honey and walnut baklava with coconut vanilla cream
Two sets of everything:
Next we were told to go out on the patio, grab a glass of wine (twist my arm, right), and wait to be served our meals while the judges were inside tasting.
I sat next to these two lovely ladies 
And there were actual menus printed out with our meals that we had each designed
It was such a relief to be done with the prep aspect and get to enjoy some vino with our classmates and taste everyone else’s creations.
Michelle’s tropical salad with dried mango
Hilary’s corn chowder
Greg’s avocado soup
Jenn’s salad and soup shot:
Raw tacos
Michelle’s cupcakes
Blake’s amazing pear apple dumpling
My baklava
These addicting raw donut holes –I’m going to ask Sonya for the recipe
And so many more incredible creations…. I was blown away by the talent in our class and the fact that everything was SO different.
We were also joined by these two guys:
Anthony, the Raw Model and Philip McClusky!!! How freaking cool is that?!
They posed for a pic with me and we decided to do the mad face
I’m the only one who actually looks angry.. they just look seductive 
I also had this lovely pina colada
And made a taster plate for the pilot, who got in a little later (he’s HERE!!!!! wahooooo!)
And had another drink.. this time, the autumn spice. I was celebrating
It was such an amazing night and I’ll be posting a full re-cap of my experience here either tomorrow or Monday morning. Please let me know if there are any questions I can answer for that post!!!
Now, off to finally meet Ani Phyo!! They thought she would be able to join us last night as well, but her flight ended up getting in later. I’ll probably make a giant goober of myself trying to talk to her- I’m just so excited!!!
See you soon with a re-cap of today’s Live and Learn events
xoxo,
G$
Hi, I'm Gina. Welcome to The Fitnessista! I love blogging about my adventures as a new mom, military wife and fitness instructor, as well as sharing new workouts and recipes. Check out the About page for more info - thanks for stopping by!
Congrats! Everything looks amazing!
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR CERTIFICATION!!! And so fun that you met Philip and Anthony!!
Felicidades!! You are killing me with that baklava! I haven’t had it since I was like 10!
And love the mad face
What awesome plates!!! I’m so in awe!!! I’m glad you had a great time!!
And of course congrats on your certification!! I envy you for being able to do this!!
Enjoy your time with the pilot and I’m eager to read more about the evening and of course about the Live and Learn events!
Hug n.
So many amazing dishes here I don’t know where I’d start. I’m drooling over all of them!
Have fun with Ani Phyo, whata great experience!
CONGRATULATIONS GINA!!!
so exciting!!!! good job!
Congratulations Gina!!! Everything looked super delicious.
WAY TO GO, G!!! So proud of you! Now can you come make me food?! Just stop in Missouri on your way home, love. I’ll give you directions
YOU ARE A ROCKSTAR, GIRL!
i’ll totally come make you food
Congrats.. what an accomplishment! Everything looks amazing.
huge congrats! so awesome! I am so jealous you actually got to met anthony and phillip so cool!
Looks delicious, and congratulations!
This is really random- but did you know the movie Zombieland was filmed at Wild Adventures in Valdosta?
hahah so funny you asked that. my brother (in tucson) was seeing that last night and i was like,”it was filmed in valdosta!!” they had zombie auditions over the spring if any locals wanted to be a zombie extra. hilarious.
congratulations!!!
so jealous and so impressed with all you’ve learned!!!
Congratulations, lil’ lady!! SO PROUD of you! That food looks amazing. Wow…
How sexay is raw model? ow ow!
thanks paige! um lt’s just say i thoroughly enjoyed sitting across from him –he was nice eye candy until the pilot got there
Congrats! The food all looks so amazing, getting hungry just seeing it!
I am SO proud of you Gina!!! I want to say more but I got REALLY DISTRACTED seeing Anthony and P McC! I have it so bad for BOTH those hot glowing raw gods! SO HAPPY FOR YOU!
If you get that donut hole recipe, I’m hoping you share
Your baklava turned out absolutley beautiful. How fun was your experience?! Now you know how to plate things all beautifully? I’m so thrilled for you girl. Mayjuh cheesin over here. High five mama!
Everything looks divine!
Way to go Gina.
You are one talented lady.
Congratulations girlie!! You have worked so hard and I have enjoyed reading every step
Congrats! Its so impressive to see what amazing raw food can be made!
CONGRATS!! that so cool!!
love the raw donut holes – they look better than dunkin
haha
they were better than dunkin! i probably had 4 or 5
Wow – congratulations Gina! This has been such a fun experience to read about, you must feel so accomplished now that you’re CERTIFIED! I heart baklava so you have won me over instantly with that beauty! Yum.
Ohmigosh it all looks so incredible. So impressed!!
Congrats Gina on finishing and being a chef with credentials!!!!!!!! What an amazing accomplishment, I am so proud of you and obviously you know you’re awesome and that you’re done a great job, but here’s a cyber pat on your cute back
Thanks for posting your recipes. I have to say the male model/mad faces caption and pic are priceless. As well as those donut holes. Wow. Raw? You better get your hands on that recipe, those look seriously awesome. Congrats again sweetie!!!!!!!! xoxo
Congratulations! Everything looks wonderful and it sounds like you had an awesome time. I’m glad you pursued your dream
i just killed a chocolate larabar by microwave….it looks like i need to go to school.hey at least some people are doing things right!!CONGRATS TO YOU!!
I’ve been a fan of yours for about 1 yr now, and your’s is the only blog I look at everyday. Keep up the good work, you’re such an inspiration w/the food and yoga, thank you for changing my ways of eating and working out. Thank you fitnessita…you’re so beautiful and insirational…you will never know how much you changed my life. Christina
christina,
so sorry i’m just now getting back to you but thank you so much for your beautiful comment. i’m so glad this little bloggy has helped and please don’t hesitate if you ever need anything!
thanks for making my night <3
xoxo
Congrats! You’re great–another accomplishment to add to your list–yay!
My gosh all the food looks SO GOOD!
YAY!! CONGRATULATIONS G$!!! That’s awesome and all of the dishes look scrumptious! I hope you do get that raw donut recipe – yum!
GINA!!! AHHHHH I cannot believe it! It has been the fastest month ever, it seems! HUGE congratulations! I am so glad we got to watch you along the way! I’m also glad you’re with your man right now! (Not that the Raw Model isn’t ridiculously sexy, but no one is the pilot!!!)I hope the rest of your weekend is amazing!
CONGRATULATIONS GINA!!! It seems like you JUST got there. All of your food looks tasty and BEAUTIFUL! I’m so proud of you
Congrats Gina!!!! How exciting
!!!!
What a pleasure to meet you. That angry face was classic. Congrats on your graduation and future success. Much love. : )
thank you so much for attending our dinner and speaking at saturday’s events! you’re such an inspiration to many and it was wonderful meeting you!